Healing Hearts
by theoofoof
Summary: Episode-tag for 5x14 as Sharon and Andy deal with the events of the day. Shandy. Contains spoilers.


**A/N:** So, I stayed up late so I could watch the episode live last night (I live in the UK) so it was about 3am when it finished. Of course, after *THAT* scene I couldn't sleep and my brain came up with two possible quotes from Andy and that led to this fic. As such it contains spoilers for 5x14.

It was written in less than 12 hours and is unbeatad so I apologise for any mistakes. This is only my second Major Crimes fic so please do leave a review to let me what you think. I know the title is rubbish but I wanted something that served as an opposite to the episode title "Heart Failure".

* * *

Andy led Sharon to the break room and settled her into a chair. "Sit there and I'll grab the ice." He squeezed her shoulder before rounding the counter to the freezer and retrieving an ice pack. Returning to Sharon, he knelt down in front of her and gently placed the cold compress against her reddened cheek. "How does it feel?"

"Sore. I think I'll be feeling it for a little while." She lifted her hand to take over holding the ice, her fingers grazing over the back of his hand as she did so. "It had to be done Andy. He killed Ally King and he was going to walk."

"I agree we needed to hold the guy but next time do you think maybe you could find a way that doesn't involve the dirtbag's fist connecting with your face?"

"I didn't set out to have him punch me. I thought he might lunge at me or push me; that's all we'd have needed. If there had been another way Andy, believe me I would have taken it." She winced as she re-adjusted the ice on her skin.

Andy's eyes narrowed. "I should have punched the bastard."

"Oh yeah because having my _boyfriend_ be the subject of an FID investigation for beating up the guy who punched me will really help my case with Chief Davies."

Her tone worried him. "Boyfriend?"

"That was how Chief Davies referred to you yesterday, when you came to pull me back into the interview. She said, 'Go ahead, your boyfriend's calling you'."

"She's just trying to get under your skin, sweetheart. People like that, it's best not to rise to it."

Sharon raised an eyebrow. "So tell me, where was this sound advice when you were butting heads with Sergeant Olsen in Narcotics, and dragging me out of bed at all hours?"

"I've mellowed." He leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "These days I'm more interested in dragging you into bed than out of it."

"Andy-" she warned, but there was a glint in her eye. Since his heart attack and all the worry and fear that came with that, Sharon endeavoured to try and relax into their relationship a little more – life was too short to hold back. That didn't mean they brought their relationship into the Murder Room but if it did creep in every now and then when they were alone then she'd let it slide. She drew the line at making out in her office though – much to Andy's disappointment.

He drew back grinning, but his smile fell when he saw how inflamed her cheek was. He moved her hand away from her cheek, before running his fingers gently along the edge of the bruise that was forming. "You should get this looked at by a doc. Just to be on the safe side."

Sharon opened her mouth to protest but Andy held up his hand. "No arguments. Let me take care of you Sharon. I think I've more than earned the right. Especially after everything you've done for me over the last year."

"No-one's keeping score Andy."

"I know, but as your _boyfriend_ it's in the job description."

* * *

Sharon and Andy had just settled on the sofa, he with a coffee, she with a glass of Pinot Grigio, when Rusty came home.

"Hi."

"Hey kid."

"Hey Mom, Andy." He dropped his bag on the chair and walked through to the kitchen, studiously avoiding eye contact with either of the other occupants of the room.

Sharon and Andy shared a look. "Is everything okay?" asked Sharon softly, standing and following her son. Gus was supposed to have met him from work and both adults were curious as to how that had panned out.

"I'm not sure," Rusty admitted, taking a glass out of the dishwasher. He took a breath before raising his head and meeting his mother's eyes. "Gus has asked me to move in with him."

"I see." Sharon placed her wine glass on the counter.

"So no marriage proposal then?" Andy commented.

"No. Thank God. I am so not ready for that. _We_ are so not ready for that."

"No. Perhaps not," agreed Sharon. "So, what did you say?"

"I haven't given him an answer yet." He opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice. "I mean, I didn't say no. I just… I didn't want to rush into a decision. I wanted to think about it and to talk to you about it."

"And Gus is okay with that?" Sharon understood all too well from her own experiences how one half of a couple could feel when the other seemed resistant to move forward.

"He is. He agrees that I need to be sure." He poured his drink and then replaced the carton in the fridge. "So, what do you think?"

"Well, I can't say I wouldn't miss you if you decide to leave, but I would understand." She stepped towards him and placed her hand on his arm. "Rusty, while I am grateful that you've sought out my opinion, I cannot make this decision for you."

"I know. It's just so hard. What if we break up, what if we're not ready, what if we drive each other crazy?" At Andy's raised eyebrow, Rusty amended his statement. "Okay, what if _I_ drive _him_ crazy?"

"Look kid, nothing in life is certain, but sometimes you just gotta take a leap into the unknown. What's the worst that can happen? It doesn't work and you break up. Yeah it'll hurt but better to know now than waste another year or two. And if it doesn't work, you come back home."

"Andy's right Rusty; you'll always have a home with us."

"Yeah, right. Thanks guys. It's definitely something to think about." He pointed toward his room. "I think I'm going to head to bed. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Sharon watched her son retreat down the hall wondering how much longer he would be living with her. She sighed. It was inevitable that he'd want to move out eventually, but he'd come to her so late she felt a little short-changed that it the moment had come so quickly. Even if, as she'd said, he'd always have a home with her.

Sighing, she sat back down on the sofa and curled her legs up next to her before leaning into Andy's side.

"He's not gone yet," Andy said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "We don't even know if he will go."

"He will go eventually though and… that's how it should be, I know but…" She trailed off with a little shrug. She didn't want to tell him about the possibility of Stroh being back in the country. She would tell him eventually, but not just yet. Not until his blood pressure was under control or they got definitive word on Stroh's movements.

"But he's your son. Hey, I get it. I felt the same when Nicole got married. I felt I was losing my little girl." Andy's fingers grazed up and down Sharon's arm. "Let's not borrow trouble, eh? He's not made his decision yet."

"You're right. Let's talk about something else."

"Like the fact that you're openly admitting I'm right. And twice in one evening. Can I have that in writing please?"

"No. There's no telling what you'd do with it. When I suggested changing the subject, I was thinking more about something else… something to do with us."

"Us?"

"Yeah." She wringed her hands together in her lap. "All this talk of engagement and marriage today has made me think…" Actually she'd been thinking about their future since his heart attack. The very real knowledge that she could have lost him had shifted her priorities.

"Oh?"

"Maybe we should talk about it."

"What, marriage?" Sharon nodded. "I… I thought that the Catholic church's view on divorce meant it wasn't on the table for us."

They hadn't talked about it specifically since they'd been dating but Sharon had made enough comments when they were just friends and she was going through her divorce, that he thought he knew where she stood on the subject. And he was good with that; he'd decided he'd take whatever Sharon was prepared to offer him.

"Well let's put it on the table. I'm not saying that marriage will be the definite outcome but we haven't talked about it and I think we should, to find out where we both stand."

With the ever present reminders that life was too short, Sharon was struggling to reconcile the church's teachings on remarriage with her current relationship with Andy. It was holding her back and she didn't like that. She'd mentioned it in passing to her priest and intended to follow it up with a more in depth discussion once she'd found out how Andy felt about the situation.

She wanted to make a commitment to Andy, something more than just moving in together, they just needed to work out the right way to move forward with that.

"Okay," Andy nodded, taking Sharon's hand. "Let's talk."


End file.
